On Friday, California Governor Gavin Newsom signed a bill that will ban flavored and e-cigs, starting from January 1rst. This bill was first tabled by Jerry Hill, a senator in California, to address the sudden increase in underage nicotine consumption.
With this new bill, you will not be charged for selling vape products and cigarettes, but you may be fined $250 for selling these products. However, the bill does not just target cigarettes and vape products, but also dessert, fruit flavors, traditional flavors, candy, mint, menthol, and chocolate.
It is also important to note that the bill will not affect loose-leaf tobacco and tobacco and premium cigarettes, which usually costs around $12 and is handmade using a tobacco leaf wrapper.
On his Twitter feed, Newsom wrote, “is a victory for public health.” It was evident that he was delighted with the passing of the bill. He thanked the Jerry Hill, the senator who brought the bill, and the stakeholder who showed interest in the matter.
Senator Hill brought the bill with the headline, “flavored tobacco products are a gateway to harder nicotine use.” In his bill sheet, he cited some critical information from the California Department of Public Health. He cited that “tobacco use is the leading preventable cause of over 480,000 deaths annually in the United States.” The same report also stated that up to five million youth consumed e-cigarettes. He also noted that eight percent of the youth started taking e-cigarettes as a result of flavored products.
To push this bill forward, many senators have now come together to support the California Fights Flavors motion. On the California Fights Flavors website, they have stated that one Juul pod can deliver an equal amount of nicotine you would find in twenty cigarettes. On the same website, they have reported that 25 percent of high school students use e-cigarettes.
According to the health department, the ban on flavored and e-cigarettes aims to reduce the number of youth taking nicotine. The health department also cited studies that prove the positive impacts realized by other states due to passing the same bill. They gave references to Minneapolis, New York, and St. Paul. Anti-drug groups were also quick to commend the idea of coming up with a bill that will reduce the number of youth taking tobacco products.
Earlier this year, The American Heart Association revealed that e-cigarettes are as dangerous as traditional cigarettes and should be avoided at all costs by youths. They thanked the president for passing the bill and noting that it will ensure that the country has a better generation to come.
Author Bio: Blair Thomas has been a music producer, bouncer, screenwriter, and for over a decade has been the proud Co-Founder of eMerchantBroker, the highest-rated e-cig merchant account in the country. He has climbed in the Himalayas, survived a hurricane, and lived on a gold mine in the Yukon. He currently calls Thailand his home with a lifetime collection of his favorite books.
